Coin slide



April 4, 1939.

B. c. GRUNIG COIN SLIDE Filed Dec. 16, 1937 mvmfr ir 157.5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention pertains to coin handling devices, and more particularly to that type of device having a reciprocable coin slide provided with a coin pocket and movable in a frame to transport a coin deposited in said pocket past selecting mechanism to release detent means and operate some desired instrumentality.

One of the important objects of the invention is the provision in a coin slide of the character described, of fraud prevention means for preventing the insertion of fraudulent instrumentalities or tools between the slide and the frame torelease certain detent means.

Another and more particular object of the invention is the provision of a simple yet highly effective yieldable blocking finger movable with the coin slide and adapted to bear constantly against an adjoining side of the frame so that the space between the slide and frame will be blocked at all times to prevent the insertion in this space of defrauding instruments, such as wires, feelers and the like.

Still another particular object is the provision in a coin handling device of the type having a slide reciprocable in a guide and provided with .detent means arranged adjacent one edge of the slide, of fraud-preventive means in the nature of a spring finger mounted in a novel manner adjacent said edge of the slide and projected in a particular manner so as to have sliding hearing engagement with the adjacent side of the guide at all times during reciprocation of the slide, whereby the insertion of feelers and similar forms of defrauding tools between the slide and uide to release the aforesaid detent means, will be blocked.

A still further object is the provision of fraudpreventive means in a device of the class described in which there is an elongated groove in 4 the guide frame and extending parallel with the edge of the coin slide. The slide having a blocking finger extending from. the corresponding edge and riding in the groove.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention will appear as the following description proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is. a top plan view partly in section of a type of coin slide utilizing the present invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary bottom perspective of the upper portion of the slide frame or guide;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top perspective of the lower section of the slide unit and is complementary to the part of the slide shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical-section through the slide as viewed along lines 4-4 of Fig. 1; while Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective fragment of the novel fraud-preventive means.

The present invention, while of general appli- '5 cation to coin handling devices of the reciprocable slidetype, is especially suited for use with a type of coin slide shown in the United States Patent No. 2,082,037 to one Tratsch.

One embodiment of the invention includes a 10 frame Ill including an elongated guideway II (Fig. 1) is which is slidably seated a reciprocable slide I2 having a coin pocket I3 into which a coin element may be deposited for movement inwardly (toward the right) by the slide l2 and past 16 certain selecting mechanism and dogs generally indicated at I5 for subsequent deposit in a discharge well I6.

It will be observed that about midway between its ends the slide I2 is provided with serrations 20 or teeth I1, and toward the rear (right) of the frame structure I0 there is a spring-urged dog I8 engageable in the teeth I! and certain notch formations I9 and 20 for the purpose of preventing retraction of the slide I2 after the latter has '25 been moved a predetermined distance inwardly (toward the right) of the frame I 0 for the deposit of the coin in the pocket I6.

While the limits in spacing between the side edge 2| and the opposite surface portion 22 of 0 the frame are kept as close as possible without binding the free movement of the slide in the frame, it is nevertheless possible to insert a fine steel feeler ribbon between these portions 2| and 22 and project the end of the feeler inwardly (toward the right) a distance sufficient to engage the dog I8 and pivot the later into ineffective position substantially before the moment when the cgin in pocket I3 starts to enter the discharge Well or seat I6. In this manner the slide may be retracted and the coin retrieved, thus defrauding the machine since in most cases a movement of the slide I2 a distance sufiicient to move the pocket (and any coin therein) past the selecting dogs I5 and hence to, but not into, the discharge 45 well I6, will project the rear end portion I2'- of the slide far enough to actuate the instrumentality controlled by the slide, usually some form of vending or amusement machine.

If the feeler cannot operate the full-stroke 0 dog, it is frequently slid under the nose thereof so as to prevent the dog from engaging in the notches or serrations.

In order to prevent such fraudulent release of the dog mechanism I8, there is provided a yield- 55 able blocking finger 23 (Figs. 1, 3 and seated in the slide and projecting from an edge thereof between said edge and the opposite wall surface of the guide or frame. One form of blocking structure is particularly illustrated in Fig. 5 and includes an elongated steel spring wire or the like, having one end portion turned back upon itself to form a mounting extension or arm 24 which is seated in an opening 25 formed in the edge 2! of the slide 12. The end portion 2'! of the finger extends appreciably beyond the slide edge 2| for sliding engagement in an elongated groove or track 26 in the wall portion 22 of the frame as illustrated, for example, in Figs. 1 and 4, and is preferably beveled to lie flush against the groove 26.

When the slide I 2 is reciprocated, the end portion 21 of the feeler spring or member 23 glides in the track portion 26 of the guide frame and effectively blocks the introduction between the wall portion 22 and the edge portion of the slide of any form of tool which could release or block any of the selecting means or the full-stroke dog l8.

Attention is called to the fact that the fraudpreventive finger 23 is preferably made from a substantially hard or spring wire, the diameter of which is determined, among other things, by the relative thickness of the slide. The groove 26, in which the outer end portions 21 of the shank of this wire finger ride, is preferably of a width substantially equal to the width or diameter of such end portion. By virtue of these provisions, it will be observed by reference to Figs. 4 and 5 that the finger is provided with support at two points so that it cannot be moved, pivoted, or otherwise disposed out of its proper operating position. It is also desirable that the Width or 'diameter of the finger, especially in the region of its juncture with the slide, be of substantial proportions preferably approaching somewhat the thickness of the slide. The reason for this is to prevent the employment of feelers which are slit or bifurcated so as to pass over the inwardly projecting portion 25 of the finger, the width of these feelers being limited so that the wider the bifurcation or slit therein, the less rigidity there will be to the remaining body portions, the same thereby being rendered wholly ineffectual to defraud the mechanism.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided an extremely simple fraud-preventive device which is highly effective for its intended purpose and which is of general application on coin controls of the reciprocating slide type. It will be apparent also that the illustrative embodiment particularly described herein is susceptible of modification particularly in the method of mounting and the disposition of the feeler structure in the slide, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to any precise specifications or characterizations of the invention except as may be hereinafter provided in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination, with a coin control of the reciprocable slide variety including a slide reciprocably movable in a guide and having detent means positioned adjacent a particular edge portion of the slide for controlling legitimate operation of the latter, of fraud-preventive means including a finger mounted for movement with the slide and having a portion projecting into the space between said particular edge of the slide and the opposite portion of the guide near which said detent means is mounted.

2. Fraud-preventive means for use with a coin control of the type having a slide mounted for reciprocation in a guide and detent means arranged near a particular edge of the slide and arranged to prevent fraudulent operation of the slide, said fraud-preventive means including a yieldable finger mounted for movement with the slide and having a portion projecting therefrom between said particular edge of the slide and the opposite guide portion, whereby insertion of defrauding tools between said edge and the opposite portion of the guide to release the detent, may be prevented at all times and during all movements of said slide.

3. In a coin slide of the type including a guide member, a slide mounted for reciprocation in said guide, and detent means cooperable with said slide to prevent fraudulent operation of the same and mounted near a particular edge portion thereof, fraud-preventive means in the form of a yieldable finger mounted for movement with said slide and having a portion projecting therefrom beyond said particular edge for disposition between the latter and the opposite surface portion of said guide, whereby access of defrauding tools to said detent means between said particular edge and said opposite surface portion is prevented.

4. In a coin control of the type including a guide, a slide mounted for reciprocation in said guide, fraud preventive detent means cooperable with said slide and mounted near a particular edge portion thereof, means for preventing the insertion of defrauding tools between said particular edge and the opposite portion of said guide to release said detent means, said fraud-preventive means including: a yieldable finger mounted on said slide near said particular edge and having a portion extending beyond said edge and disposed between the latter and opposite portions of said guide, whereby to block access to said detent means along said particular edge between the latter and the guide in the manner aforesaid, said frame having a track in which said finger rides.

5. In a coin slide of the type including a guide, an operating slide mounted for reciprocation in the guide, fraud-preventive .means arranged on the guide opposite a particular edge portion of said slide for cooperation with the latter topre vent fraudulent operation thereof, blocking means for preventing insertion of defrauding tools between said particular edge of the slide and confronting portions of the guide, said blocking means comprising a finger element seated in a hole formed in said particular edge of the slide at a point remote from said fraud-preventive means, said finger element having a free end portion projected beyond said particular edge and disposed at all times between the latter edge and the confronting portion of the guide, whereby access to said fraud-preventive means is prevented during all movements of the slide.

6. In a coin slide of the'type including a guide and a slide member reciprocable therein and having control mechanism operatively engageable with a particular edge portion of the slide, fraudpreventive means for preventing access to said control mechanism by the insertion of an instrumentality between said particular edge of the slide and the guide, said means including an elongated finger member having an offset end portion seated in said edge of the slide with a shank portion extending angularly away from said edge for engagement with the corresponding part of said guide frame, said frame having a groove-like formation extending substantially parallel with said particular edge of the slide and in which part of said shank portion rides during reciprocation of said. slide.

. '7. In a coin handling device of the type including a frame providing an elongated guide and a substantially flat operating slide mounted for reciprocation in said guide, and control mechanism arranged near a particular longitudinal edge of said slide for cooperation with the latter, means for preventing fraudulent insertion of instrumentalities between said particular edge of the slide and the corresponding portion of said guide to interfere with said control mechanism, said means including: a wire-like finger having an end portion seated in a hole in said particular edge of the slide and having a shank portion extending at an angle away from said edge into engagement with the corresponding portion of said guide, said guide having an elongated groove formed therein and substantially parallel to said particular edge of the slide, end parts of said shank portion riding in said groove during reciprocation of the slide, the width of said shank portion in said groove being substantially equal to the width of the groove.

8. The combination, with a coin control of the reciprocable slide variety including a slide reciprocably movable in a guide and having detent means positioned adjacent a particular edge portion of the slide for controlling legitimate operation of the latter, of fraud-preventive means including: a finger mounted for movement with the slide and having a portion projecting at an angle to the slide in a direction away from said detent means toward a particular end of said slide into the space between said particular edge of the slide and the opposite portion of the guide near which said detent means is mounted, whereby insertion of defrauding tools between said particular edge of the slide and the guide from said particular end of the slide, will be blocked.

9. In a coin control of the type having relatively stationary and movable members, the movable member of which is arranged for back and forth movement relative to the stationary member and constitutes an operating control, and said coin control f111"'11 including detent means arranged normally to prevent fraudulent operation of said operating control and being positioned so as to be accessible to defrauding tools inserted between said stationary and movable members, means for preventing the aforesaid insertion of defrauding tools, said means comprising: a blocking member mounted on one of said relatively stationary and movable members so as to project into a riding groove provided in the other one of said members and in a position to block insertion of defrauding tools between said members at all times whether said movable member be at rest or in motion.

BERNI-IARD C. GRUNIG. 

